Nomad today announced the launch of the Base One, its first official MagSafe wireless charger. For a long time, Belkin has had the only official ‌MagSafe‌ charging options, but that's starting to change now that third-party accessory companies are able to get Apple's Made for iPhone-certified hardware.

nomad base one
The Base One is using ‌MagSafe‌ components sourced directly from Apple, so it is able to charge a MagSafe-compatible iPhone at up to 15W (except for the iPhone 12 mini and ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini, which max out at 12W). Non-MagSafe magnetic charging options are limited to 7.5W, much like any other Qi charger.


At 15W, the Base One can charge at the same speed as Apple's official ‌MagSafe‌ Charger, so what Nomad is bringing to the table is it own spin on design. The Base One is priced at $130, so it's $90 more expensive than the ‌MagSafe‌ Charger, making it a premium option. It's worth noting that some of that cost comes from Apple's own hardware fees, as this is using ‌MagSafe‌ technology sourced from Apple.

nomad base one 1
The Base One has a shiny glass surface and a heavy aluminum body that you can get in either silver or gray. It undoubtedly feels like a high-quality product, weighing in at 515 grams, which is more than a pound. On top of the glass surface, there's the soft-coated ‌MagSafe‌ charger, and a set of feet on the bottom lift it up slightly and add protection for whatever surface it's placed on.

nomad base one 4
You might think that at the heavier weight it would able to remain on the desk without lifting when you want to pull your ‌iPhone‌ off the charger, but magnets are strong and that's not the case. You need to do the same tilt lift or lift with a finger under the ‌iPhone‌ that you need to do with other ‌MagSafe‌ charging options. The glass surface does collect some fingerprints and dust, but it's easy to clean off.

nomad base one 3
According to Nomad, the Base One is designed to look great on a desk, which it does, but at this price point it's as expensive as multi-device chargers from Belkin, Mophie, and others, so it may not be worth the high cost for some users. The Base One is a single-device charger, so it only works with one ‌iPhone‌ at a time.

nomad base one 2
It can be used to charge any MagSafe-compatible ‌iPhone‌ at the supported wireless charging speed, plus it can also charge AirPods or an older non-MagSafe ‌iPhone‌, though the magnets won't work. It connects over USB-C and comes with a braided USB-C cable, but there is no power adapter included so you'll need to supply your own 30W+ charger.

nomad base one 5

Bottom Line

The Base One for Nomad will likely appeal to those who want a high quality charging accessory for their ‌iPhone‌, but at $90 more than a $40 ‌MagSafe‌ Charger, I find it hard to justify the price.

Yes, it looks nice on a desk, it's more attractive than a plain ‌MagSafe‌ Charger, and the USB-C connectivity is great, but for that kind of money, I'd rather shell out for a more versatile multi-device charger.

How to Buy

The Base One can be purchased from the Nomad website for $130.

Tag: Nomad

Top Rated Comments

SDJim Avatar
38 months ago
Yeah, your bottom line pretty much sums it up. This makes Belkin pricing look sane.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Cheruman Avatar
38 months ago
Picking up a few of these. And then putting them down again because I’m poor
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
boss.king Avatar
38 months ago
$130 and they don’t even bother to include the power brick? Even if money was no object, I think I’d still feel ripped off buying this.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iStorm Avatar
38 months ago
Um, yeah... I think I would rather pop in my own official MagSafe charger into this for $13:

https://www.elago.com/magsafe/ms-charging-pad-for-magsafe-black

Elago's even has a reusable adhesive bottom, so it stays on your desk rather than sticking to your phone when you pick it up.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BrownyQ Avatar
38 months ago

Since that's hardware from Apple, they don't have control over it. Similar to the official Apple Watch charging pucks, which are typically always white.
So then it's just a black square around a pre-existing MagSafe charger?

Terrible, terrible value.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
topgunn Avatar
38 months ago
I get the desire for a premium product. I spent $50 more for Apple's premium watch charging "dock" over the standard issue Apple Watch charging cable. But this? This is ridiculously priced and doesn't even have a premium vibe. I would go so far as to see it looks cheap.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 18

iOS 18.3 Available as Soon as Today With These New Features

Monday January 27, 2025 6:35 am PST by
Update: Apple has released iOS 18.3. In its press release unveiling a new Black Unity Sport Loop for the Apple Watch today, Apple confirmed that iOS 18.3 is "upcoming." According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple Stores are being instructed to update the software on demo devices today, so iOS 18.3 should be released either today or within the next few days. Below, we recap everything new...
Generic iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Beta Coming Soon With These New Features for Your iPhone

Friday January 24, 2025 8:16 am PST by
iOS 18.3 is expected to be widely released next week, and that means the first iOS 18.4 beta for iPhones should be just around the corner. Apple has previously implied that iOS 18.4 will be released in April, as that is when it promised to make Apple Intelligence available in even more languages. Below, we outline what to expect from iOS 18.4 so far. Apple Intelligence for Siri Siri ...
iOS 18

5 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.3

Friday January 24, 2025 1:55 am PST by
Apple is set to release iOS 18.3 next week, bringing further refinements to Apple Intelligence features, a couple of neat new capabilities to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 devices, and bug fixes. While not quite as packed with new features as Apple's preceding iOS 18 point releases, iOS 18.3 still introduces capabilities that aim to make your iPhone smarter and more intuitive. Below, we've...
airpods 4 blue

Apple Finally Explains How to Install New Firmware on Your AirPods

Monday January 27, 2025 11:17 am PST by
Apple regularly releases new firmware for the AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max, but the company has historically provided limited information on how to initiate an update. That changed today, and Apple updated its AirPods firmware support page with more specific instructions. Prior to today, here's what Apple said on the subject: Firmware updates are delivered automatically while your...
iOS 18

Apple Expected to Release iOS 18.3 This Week With These New Features

Thursday January 23, 2025 6:41 am PST by
iOS 18.3 should be released to the public this week, following beta testing since mid-December. While the software update is a relatively minor one, it still includes a handful of new features, changes, and bug fixes for iPhones. Below, we recap everything new in iOS 18.3. Notification Summary Changes Examples of inaccurate Apple Intelligence notification summaries Apple Intelligence...
airpods pro purple

Apple Still 'Exploring' New AirPods With Tiny Cameras

Sunday January 26, 2025 7:52 am PST by
Apple continues to explore the idea of releasing camera-equipped AirPods in the future, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman only briefly mentioned the possibility of AirPods gaining tiny cameras, as part of his Power On newsletter intro this week, focused on Apple's future wearables ambitions. He did not explain what the cameras would be used for. The tiny cameras would not be...
apple tv 4k new orange

New Apple TV Launching This Year With These New Features

Wednesday January 22, 2025 6:01 pm PST by
A new Apple TV is expected to be released later this year. In this article, we recap rumored features and changes for the device. The next Apple TV will be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He said the chip supports Wi-Fi 6E, which would be an upgrade over the current Apple TV's standard Wi-Fi 6 support. Wi-Fi 6E extends the...
iPhone 16 Apple Store Levels

Gurman: Apple Stores Receiving 'Merchandise' Updates Next Week

Saturday January 25, 2025 5:07 pm PST by
Apple's retail stores will be rolling out "merchandise/floor marketing updates" next week, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman did not explicitly say if the store updates are related to any upcoming product announcements, but he did mention that next week is around the time that Apple rolls out its annual Black Unity watch band for the Apple Watch. In each of the past four years, ...
iPhone 17 Air Size Feature

iPhone 14 Pro vs. Rumored iPhone 17 Air: Upgrade or Downgrade?

Saturday January 25, 2025 6:40 am PST by
After hanging on to my iPhone 14 Pro for a few years, I will likely upgrade to an iPhone 17 model this year. Typically, I only consider the Pro models, but the rumored iPhone 17 Air sounds intriguing. After reflecting on rumors, I have realized that upgrading to this device might not have as many compromises as I first thought. Of course, the iPhone 17 Air is not yet official. Apple should...